Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record revenue, EBITDA, and earnings per share for both Q4 and the full year 2025, with Q4 revenue growing by 4% despite a challenging comparison of 7% growth in the same period last year [8][9] - Full-year revenue growth was solid at 5%, with EBITDA margin expanding by 160 basis points to 22.2% [9][12] - The company achieved a record quarterly EPS of $1.42, a 20% increase over the prior year, and maintained a strong balance sheet with net debt to adjusted EBITDA of 0.2x [9][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Measurement and Control Solutions (MCS), orders were up 22%, driven by smart metering demand, with revenue increasing by 10% [10][11] - Water Infrastructure saw orders down 1% in the quarter, with revenue flat due to strong demand in the U.S. offset by a nearly 30% decline in China [10][11] - Applied Water reported a 5% increase in orders and a 3% revenue growth, primarily driven by strength in U.S. commercial buildings [11] - Water Solutions and Services (WSS) experienced a 7% increase in orders and a 4% revenue growth, supported by strength in capital and services [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog finished at $4.6 billion, with a book-to-bill ratio near 1 for both the quarter and the full year [8] - The company anticipates resilient demand in its largest end markets, with strong backlog conversion expected in 2026 [7][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is entering phase II of its transformation, focusing on strengthening its growth engine through sales force effectiveness, product management, and innovation [6][7] - Phase III will involve investing in long-term competitiveness, expanding breakthrough innovation, and deepening exposure to attractive future water markets [7] - The company is committed to simplifying its product offerings and focusing on higher-quality earnings, which may create short-term top-line headwinds [7][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in resilient demand and strong backlog conversion, despite acknowledging challenges in project timing and market conditions, particularly in China [12][51] - The company expects to see sequential revenue improvement throughout 2026 as project kickoffs accelerate in the latter half of the year [12][13] - Management highlighted the importance of water as a foundational element for economic growth and the company's unique position in providing solutions across the water value chain [18][19] Other Important Information - The company is committed to maintaining a low double-digit free cash flow margin in its long-term financial framework [16] - The anticipated divestiture of the international metering business is expected to close at the end of Q1 2026, with a small EPS impact of $0.02-$0.03 [72] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide a two-year progress report on margin improvement and portfolio optimization? - Management noted significant progress in operational model transformation and integration of Evoqua, achieving synergies 18 months early and improving employee engagement ratings [26][28] Question: Can you elaborate on the 80/20 walk-away revenues? - Management explained that the 80/20 initiative is becoming integral to operations, focusing on resource allocation and simplifying the business, which may lead to a 2% headwind in revenue for 2026 [31][32] Question: When will the 80/20 initiative start benefiting the company? - Management indicated that 2026 is seen as an inflection point, with expectations of building a growth engine and improving sales force effectiveness [39] Question: What are the plans for share buybacks or M&A? - Management stated that priorities include investing in core business and M&A, with a target of around $1 billion a year for capital deployment towards M&A [40][41] Question: Can you provide context on the backlog and project hesitancy? - Management acknowledged that project timing and local competition in China have impacted backlog and revenue guidance, but expressed confidence in the commercial funnel [48][51] Question: What is the outlook for smart meters and project delays? - Management remains confident in MCS achieving high single-digit growth long-term, attributing near-term challenges to project timing and backlog normalization [56][58]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record revenue, EBITDA, and earnings per share for both Q4 and the full year 2025, with revenue growth of 4% in Q4 and 5% for the full year [8][9] - Full-year EBITDA margin expanded by 160 basis points to 22.2%, with quarterly EBITDA margin at 23.2%, up 220 basis points year-over-year [9] - The company achieved a record quarterly EPS of $1.42, representing a 20% increase over the prior year [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Measurement and Control Solutions (MCS) saw orders up 22% in Q4, driven by smart metering demand, with revenue up 10% [10] - Water Infrastructure orders were down 1% in Q4, with revenue flat due to strong U.S. demand offset by a nearly 30% decline in China [10] - Applied Water orders increased by 5%, with revenues up 3%, primarily driven by strength in U.S. commercial buildings [11] - Water Solutions and Services (WSS) experienced a 7% increase in orders and 4% revenue growth, supported by strength in capital and services [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog finished at $4.6 billion, with a book-to-bill ratio near 1 for both the quarter and the full year [8] - The company noted resilient demand in its largest end markets, with strong backlog conversion expected [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is in phase two of its transformation, focusing on strengthening its growth engine through sales force effectiveness, product management, and innovation [6] - The strategy includes purposeful walkaways from lower-quality revenue to drive higher-quality earnings, which may create short-term top-line headwinds [7] - The company aims to build on its core franchises and expand breakthrough innovation while deepening exposure to attractive future water markets [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in resilient demand and strong commercial positioning despite broader market conditions and volatility [17] - The company anticipates a challenging first quarter in 2026, with expectations for sequential revenue improvement throughout the year [12][13] - Management highlighted the importance of water as a foundational element for economic growth and the need for innovative solutions in the water sector [18][19] Other Important Information - The company is committed to a long-term financial framework with a low double-digit free cash flow margin [16] - The divestiture of the international metering business is expected to close at the end of Q1 2026, with a small EPS impact of $0.02-$0.03 [72] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide a two-year progress report on margin improvement and portfolio optimization? - Management highlighted significant progress in operational model transformation and employee engagement, with a focus on leveraging simplicity for growth [26][30] Question: Why is the 80/20 walk-away revenue accelerating into the second year? - Management explained that the 80/20 approach is becoming integral to operations, focusing on resource allocation and optimizing overhead to support long-term growth [32][33] Question: When will the 80/20 strategy shift from a headwind to a tailwind? - Management indicated that 2026 is seen as an inflection point, with efforts to improve sales force effectiveness and customer engagement [38] Question: What are the plans for share buybacks versus M&A? - Management stated that priorities include investing in core business and M&A, with share buybacks being opportunistic [40][41] Question: What is the status of the backlog and project timing? - Management noted that project timing has been variable, impacting backlog and revenue guidance for 2026, but expressed confidence in the commercial funnel [48][49] Question: What steps are being taken regarding the softness in the China market? - Management acknowledged challenges in China, focusing on higher-quality opportunities and restructuring operations to align with market conditions [50][51] Question: Can you elaborate on the smart meters market and project delays? - Management remains confident in MCS's long-term growth, attributing near-term challenges to project timing and backlog normalization [56][58]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record revenue, EBITDA, and earnings per share for both Q4 and the full year 2025, with revenue growth of 4% in Q4 and 5% for the full year [8][9] - Full-year EBITDA margin expanded by 160 basis points to 22.2%, with quarterly EBITDA margin at 23.2%, up 220 basis points year-over-year [9] - The company achieved a record quarterly EPS of $1.42, representing a 20% increase over the prior year [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Measurement and Control Solutions (MCS) saw orders up 22% in Q4, driven by smart metering demand, with revenue up 10% [10] - Water Infrastructure orders were down 1% in Q4, with revenue flat due to strong demand in the U.S. offset by a nearly 30% decline in China [10] - Applied Water orders increased by 5%, with revenues up 3%, primarily driven by strength in U.S. commercial buildings [11] - Water Solutions and Services (WSS) reported a 7% increase in orders and 4% revenue growth, with an EBITDA margin of 23.9%, up 110 basis points year-over-year [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog finished at $4.6 billion, with a book-to-bill ratio near 1 for both the quarter and the full year [8] - The company anticipates resilient demand in its largest end markets, despite short-term headwinds from strategic walkaways from lower-quality revenue [6][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is entering phase two of its transformation, focusing on strengthening its growth engine through sales force effectiveness, product management, and innovation [5][6] - Phase three will involve investing in long-term competitiveness and expanding into attractive future water markets [6] - The company is committed to simplifying its product offerings and enhancing customer focus, which may create short-term top-line headwinds but aims to drive higher-quality earnings [6][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in resilient demand and strong backlog conversion, expecting to build on commercial and operational momentum in 2026 [6][17] - The company is monitoring broader market conditions, including tariffs, but maintains a positive outlook for the year [17] - Management highlighted the importance of water as a foundational element for economic growth and the need for innovative solutions in the water sector [18][19] Other Important Information - The company plans to close the divestiture of its international metering business by the end of Q1 2026, with an EPS impact of $0.02-$0.03 [72] - The company is targeting around $1 billion a year for capital deployment towards M&A, focusing on small to medium bolt-on acquisitions [41] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide a two-year progress report on margin improvement and portfolio optimization? - Management acknowledged significant progress in operational model transformation and integration of Evoqua, with early delivery of synergies [26][28] Question: Why is the 80/20 walk-away revenue increasing into the second year? - Management explained that the 80/20 approach is becoming integral to operations, focusing on resource allocation and optimizing overhead to support long-term growth [32][33] Question: When will the 80/20 actions transition from a headwind to a tailwind? - Management indicated that 2026 is an inflection point, with expectations for improved sales force effectiveness and customer focus [40] Question: What is the outlook for the backlog and project hesitancy? - Management noted that the backlog is healthy but acknowledged project delays due to various factors, including inflation and project scope changes [50][68] Question: What are the expectations for smart meters and project delays? - Management remains confident in MCS achieving high single-digit growth long-term, attributing near-term challenges to project timing and backlog normalization [58] Question: What is the impact of divestitures on EPS? - The divestiture of the international metering business is expected to have a small EPS impact of $0.02-$0.03 for the year [72]

Core Insights - Xylem Inc. is recognized as one of the 20 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for a Lifetime, showcasing consistent revenue and dividend growth [1] Company Performance - Mizuho has maintained a Neutral rating on Xylem Inc. and raised its price target from $125 to $140, attributing this to the company's restructuring and efficiency improvements [2] Strategic Initiatives - Xylem Inc. partnered with Amazon to implement smart water technology in Mexico City and Monterrey, aiming to recover approximately 1.3 billion liters of water annually through the use of Xylem Vue, a software platform for optimizing municipal water systems [3] - The company's initiatives highlight its ability to deploy scalable, data-driven solutions that enhance sustainability and efficiency in global water management [4] Market Position - Xylem Inc. serves a diverse range of sectors, including utility, industrial, and residential and commercial building services, with engineered products and solutions [4]

Core Insights - Xylem Inc. has partnered with Amazon to implement advanced water management technology in Mexico City and Monterrey, aiming to conserve over 1.3 billion liters of water annually [1][2][3] - The project will utilize Xylem Vue, a software solution designed to detect leaks and reduce water waste, targeting 800 million liters of conservation in Mexico City and 560 million liters in Monterrey [1][2] - Mexico City's water infrastructure suffers from significant leakage, losing up to 40% of water, which the new initiative aims to address through real-time pressure management and proactive leak detection [2][3] Company Overview - Xylem Inc. specializes in engineered products and services for water management, including pumps, water treatment systems, smart meters, sensors, software, and maintenance services for urban areas [3] - The collaboration with Amazon is part of a broader global water stewardship plan that includes over 30 projects aimed at restoring more than 14 billion liters of water [3]